Planned Parenthood Opens New Clinic in Providence, RI

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England has moved into a newly renovated clinic that officials say will offer more privacy to patients.

The Providence Journal reports the new clinic provides direct parking lot access to help patients avoid protesters. It is less than one mile away from the previous location where patients often had to be escorted through protesters by volunteers.

Planned Parenthood spent $7 million to buy and renovate the 12,000-square-foot, two-story building in Providence. The manager said in a statement that patients were "overjoyed" with the new health center.

Planned Parenthood visits in Rhode Island have grown nearly 22 percent over the past five years. Of the 8,000 patients served last year, 61 percent were low-income and 33 percent were uninsured.